Mechanism for controlling the feeding and printing of sheets



B. F. UPHAM. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE FEDING AND PRINTING 0F SHEETS.

-- APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. I9IT- RENEWED MAR. 3|, I919. 1,327,182.

Patented J an.- 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- UPHAM we FEEDING AND PRINTING or sums. APPLICATION HLED FEB. l4 l9ll. 1,327,182.

B. F. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING 4" SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE FEEDING AND PRINTING 0F SHEETS.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14 I317- 1,327,182.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI 3.

B. F. UPHAM.

MECHANISM FOR comaoume n1; FEEDING AND PRINTING 0F SHEETS.

6, 1920. TS-SHEEI 4 Patented Jan.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.I4.19II- RENEWED MAR. 31,1919.

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OF BBOOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'IO CRUSS PAPER FEEDER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE FEEDING AND PRINTING OF SHEETS.

Application filed February 14, 1917, fierial No. 148,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURT F. UPHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for ontrolling the Feeding and Printing of Sheets; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel improvement in means for automatically controlling the feeding and handling of sheets particularly designed for use in connection with sheet printing presses.

The principal object of the invention is to enable sheets to be automatically fed to a printing press, or other operating mechanism, and to prevent defective or misplaced sheets fed up to the point where they should be taken by such press or operating mechanism being delivered thereto or taken thereby; and, to accomplislrthis, the invention provides means whereby when an imperfect or misplaced sheet is detected by the automatic mechanism, the feeding of following sheets will be automatically suspended, the further advance of such imperfect or misplaced sheet will be arrested by clamps ensuch sheet, the grippers on the taking reel or cylinder will be rendered inef fective to take such sheet, and the impression will be thrown off durng the time that such detected sheet would have been printed,

all without necessarily stopping the main heavy portions of the sheet feeder or of the printing mechanisms which may continue to go through their cycle of movements, but are rendered ineffective until the defective sheet is removed. In case'a misplaced but perfect sheet is detected the feed of sheets and printing thereof will be suspended and the further progress of such misplaced sheet arrested; but if such sheet is thereafter properly positioned at the taking point, it may be taken and printed.

The invention includes means whereby if either a perfect but misplaced sheet, or a defective sheet is fed the same will be detected, and thereupon the feed of following sheets will be suspended; also such sheet will be seized by sheet clamps; also the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1920.

Renewed March 31, 1919. Serial No. 286,621.

grippers on the're-el or cylinder that should take the sheet will be rendered ineffective; also the impression will be thrown off during the time that such sheet should have been printed or when no sheet is in position to be printed. In case'of a defective or imperfect sheet it is necessary for the operator to remove such defective sheet from the table before the feed of sheets is again started; but in case of a perfect sheet, misplaced or out of register, such sheet might be adusted or properly positioned without removing it from the table, and when so positioned the detectors will permit such sheet to pass and it may be automatically put through the machine and printed.

T 0 enable those skilled in the art to more readily comprehend and understand the invention; and the general applicability and utility thereof; I will explain one practical embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but I do not consider the invention restricted to the specific construction of parts illustrated, and have summarized the essential features of the invention and novel combination of parts therein for which protection is desired in the claims.

In said drawings:

Figures 1 and 1 together conventionally illustrate a side elevation of the feeding mechanism and related portions of a printing press to which one embodiment of the invention is applied; the parts appearing therein in normal working positions.

Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged view showing the positions assumed by the parts when the detectors find an imperfect or misplaced sheet and the tripping devices have acted.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the posiplate cylinder P, and a reel or cylinder 1, and a table or tapes 3, onto which the sheets are supplied by the feeder F.

The reel 1 is provided with suitably operated grippers 1*" adapted to take sheets from the fingers 2 on the inner end of the tableor sheet feeding devices; which fingers 2 are mounted on a shaft or rod 2 in the usual manner.

The sheets are preferably carried forward to these fingers in the usual manner by means of tapes 3 running over a roller 3 adjacent the fingers 2 and roller 3 adjacent the automatic feeder. Any suitable automatic sheet feeding mechanism may be used to deliver sheets onto the forwarding tapes .3, and the sheets may be directed from the tapes onto fingers 2 by the usual bridge pieces 3 The leading edge of the sheet is adapted to be arrested by gages a (which may be of usual type) in position to be taken by the grippers of the feed reel. The sheet stops or gages 4: are connected to castings 4 strung upon a shaft 4*, which is rocked at the proper times, to raise and lower the gages. In the construction shown the shaft 4P carries an arm r, preferably provided with a roller a which engages the periphery of a cam 5 fixed on a shaft 5 which is driven by suitable gearing so as to rotate in unison with the impression cylinder, and by this means the gages will be raised and lowered at the proper times.

The arm 1 is adapted to be lifted by the operation of the cam 5 engaging the roller 4 and when the arm is lifted shaft 4 is rocked and the gages a will be raised. The arm 4 may be normally held down, and returned to normal position so as to lower the gages, by suitable means, a spring 4: connected to said lever and to a fixed point on the frame being indicated in the drawings.

Sheet detectors or fingers are pivotally connected at their rear ends to arms 7 on a rock shaft 7 suitably mounted in the framing of the press; and which rock shaft is normally held stationar 1 by suitable springs. The forward ends of the detectors 6 are adapted to feel for and rest upon a sheet of paper lying over the fingers 2. If a sheet is properly positioned on said fingers .2 the free ends of'the detectors will rest on and slide upon the sheet in the usual manner, but if a sheet is missing or defective, the free ends of the detectors will drop, and this will cause the tripping of the sheet clamps, of the sheet feed, of the throw-off mechanism and of the cylinder grippers, as hereinafter explained.

Each detector 6 is provided with a notch 6 onits under side, and adapted to beengaged by a pin 8 on an arm 8 attached" to a rock shaft 8. Said shaft 8 should be rocked so as to swing the pin 8* back and forth once for each rotation of the impression cylinder. As shown an arm 8 on the shaft 8, preferably carrying a roller, engages a cam 9 on a shaft 9, which shaft 9 is rotated by any suitable means, as gearing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to turn in unison with the impression cylinder I. The arm 8 may be held in contact with the cam 9 by a spring as 8, adapted to normally tend to rock shaft 8 and cause pin 8 to engage and raise the detectors 6. The sheet detecting devices are preferably constructed and operate as more fully shown and described in my application filedrJanuary 2, 1916, Serial No. 1%,129.

The reel grippers 1 are timed and nor mally operated to take the sheet from the fingers 2 after the backward movement of lever 8 has lifted the detectors 6; and which then remain up until the next sheet comes down to the drop guides 4, during which time the cam lever 8 engages the low part of cam 9.

In the construction illustrated the shaft 7 carries an arm 7 which has a pin and slot engagement with one end of a link 10, the other end of which link is pivotally connected to one arm 10 (Figs. 1 and 2) of an oscillating lever loosely mounted on a stub shaft 11 mounted in the framing.

On shaft 11 is fixed a catch lever 11 having a notch 11 in its upper end, which notch when the parts are in normal position (as in Fig. 1), engages a pin 12 on a lever 12, mounted loosely on a shaft 12, journaled in the framing of the machine adjacent the transfer reel 1.

This lever 12 has an arm 12 preferably carrying a roller 12, that engages with a cam 5 fast to a shaft 5, journaledin the framing, and said cam is provided with a depression or notch 5 which passes the arm 12 once during each rotation of the impression cylinder. The lever 12 may be normally depressed so as to keep roller 12 in contact with cam 5 by suitable means; as shown (Fig. 4;) the lever 12 extends in rear of the shaft '12, and its rear end is connected to a rod 12 which is normally pressed upward by means of a spring 12 interposed between a washer on this rod and a guide stud 12 on the framing; with which stud the free end of the rod is slidably engaged.

An arm 15 (which may be fixed to or form part of lever 12) is loosely engaged with the upper end of a rod 15 that controls the dog of the throw off mechanism, hereinafter explained, said dog being normally held in such position, (see Fig. 1) that the impression will remain on unless the lever 12 is rocked so as to cause rod 15% to trip the throw off mechanism as hereinafter explained. On the shaft 12 is fixed a lever 13 which has an arm l3 extending beside the cam 5 and having on its forward end a pin 13* which is adapted to engage a notch 141 in a latch arm 14.- fast to the shaft 11. The lever 13 has an arm 13 preferably carrying a roller which engages with a cam 5 on shaft 5, rotating in unison with the impression cylinder, I. Said lever 13 may be normally impelled to engage arm 13 with cam 5 by any suitable means as shown a rod 13 is connected with lever 13,. and expansion spring 13 is strung on said rod between an adjustable washer 13 on said rod and a guide stud 13 on the frame.

l v'hen the latch 14.- is engaged with the pin 13 as indicated in Fig. 2, the spring 13 is held under compression and lever 13 cannot be moved by said spring when the low part of the cam 5 comes opposite the arm 13; but when latch 1a is disengaged from pin 13 (Fig. 1) then when the low part of the cam 5 comes opposite arm 13 lever 13 will be swung upward by spring 13 and rock shaft 12 The shaft 5 may be rotated by suitable means, (as gearing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) sons to rotate cams 5 5 and 5 uniformly with the impression cylinder 1.

hen the parts are in normal operative position (Fig. 1) the lever 12 is upheld by the latch 11; while the lever 13 isfree from the latch 14.

The latch 1 1 has a short arm 1& (see Figs. 1 and?) which may be engaged by rod H guided in a slotted stud 1& attached to the framing; and an expansion spring l l is strung between the stud 1 1 and washers on rod H and normally tends to swing the latch 14 out of engagement with pin 13".

On the shaft 11 is an arm 14 which may be part of latch 14:, provided with a pin 1 1 which extends opposite and is adapted to be engaged by the arm 10 of the lever 10 when the latter is actuated by the outward throw of the lever 7 If the detectors 6 should find an imperfect or misplaced sheet and therefore trip the mechanisms as above described, it is desirable that the transfer reel grippers should be prevented from closing upon the sheet lying on the fingers 2. Any suitable means may be used which will prevent the closing of the gripper fingers in case a sheet is not in position to be taken thereby or is imperfect, such means however being controlled by the detector mechanism.

As indicated in Figs. 5 to 7 the reel gripper fingers 1 are mounted as usual on a rocking shaft 1 provided with a tumbler 1 The tumbler 1 is adapted to be engaged at the sheet taking point (to close the grippers) by a pin 20 slidably mounted in the framing adjacent one end of the reel. Said tumbler is also adapted to be engaged (to open the grippers) at the point where the reel transfers the sheet to the impression cylinder 1, by means of a pin 30, also slidably mounted in the framing.

As arm 13 follows cams 5 it causes shaft 12 to rock once for each revolution of the impression cylinder, unless pin 13 is engaged with latch 14:. A lever 23, indicated in Figs. 57, is fixed to shaft 12 and is vibrated once for each revolution of the impression cylinder, unless pin 13 is engaged with notch 14? in latch arm 14:. When the press is running normally, lever 23 is vibrated during each revolution of the 1mpression cylinder and is so timed that tumbler pins 20 and 30 are moved into their respective operative positions, thereby allowing tumbler 1 to engage the pins at the proper times. If pin 13 engages notch 14", (which will occur if detectors 6 do not find perfect or properly positioned sheets at the drop guides l) lever 13 cannot follow cam 5 and thereforev shaft 12" will not be rocked, and lever will not operate the tumbler pins 20 and 30; therefore tumbler 1 cannot engage the pins, and thus grippers 1 are prevented from closing and taking sheets from the table. The aforesaid tumbler pin controlling devices are more clearly shown and described in my application above referred to and are not specifically claimed herein.

As indicated in Fig. 4c the impression cylinder 1 is journaled in sliding boxes 16 which can be raised and lowered by cams 16 in the usual manner. Cam 16 is operated by a link 16 connected to a lever 16 pivoted on stud 16 on which is also pivoted a lever 16 which is oscillated by means of a rotary cam 16 on a shaft 16 Lever 16 is adapted to be engaged by a dog 16 pivoted on the lever 16 but this dog is normally held disengaged from the lever 16 by means of a slotted lever 16 pivoted at 16 and yieldably connected to the lower end of the rod 15. 1 This throw off mechanism may in general be constructed and operated as shown and described in my Patent No. 1,687,055 dated February 10, 1914-, and in my aforesaid application. The particular construction thereof not being a feature of the present invention. The impression will normally remain thrown on unless the lever 13' shall be tripped or allowed to oscillate and thereby oscillate shaft 12 and trip the throw off mechanism so that it operates the throw off impression and the impression will be thrown on automatically in time to print a properly presented sheet taken by the impression member.

In order to prevent adefective or misplaced sheet moving forward and being? taken by the feed reel when it is found by the detectors 6. 1 provide novel means forclamping the sheet whereby it will be held even if the gages a should be elevated. In

the construction illustrated clamp members 17 are arranged at a convenient point below the upper run of the tapes 3, and cooperating with such members are movable clamp members 17 a attached to a rock shaft 17 that may be mounted in brackets 17 c on the framing. On shaft 17 b is an arm 17 d adapted to be engaged by a catch lever 18, pivoted on the bracket 17 said catch lever having a short arm 18 extending above its pivot and connected by a pin and slot joint 18 to the end of a link 18 which in turn is .connected to an arm 7 i on the rock shaft 7.

Pivoted to the arm 17 d is a latch 19 which lies adjacent catch lever 18 and has a pin and slot engagement 19 with a link 19 pivoted to the catch 18. The latch 19 is normally moved away from the catch 18 by means of a spring 19 connected to the latch and to an arm 17 on shaft 17. The tooth of latch 19 is adapted to engage in pin 1 on the outer end of a lever 1 which is attached to the shaft 49 and is; oscillated therewith by the lever 4;.

After detectors 6. are pulled forward, they immediately reset, thereby allowing shaft 7 to reset, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. At this time arm 1 is lifted by cam 5. Latch 19 is held against pin 1 by means of a s ring 19 and catch 18 is held against arm 17 by means of spring 18 connected to the catch and to bracket 17. When arm A following cam 5 allows the drop guides to lower, arm 4 moves upward and causes pin 4 to engage latch 19 and lift arm 17 high enough to allow catch 18 to engage arm 17 The clamps 17 are thus removed from the sheet and are again latched up out of the path of the sheet; in which position the clamps remain until the detectors 6 again trip, through the absence of a sheet at the drop guides.

On shaft 7 is an arm 7 which is con nected by a link 7 i to one arm of a lever 26 pivoted at 26 on the framing of the auto matic sheet feeder which may be of any suitable construction; to the other arm of this lever 26 is connected a spring 26 by which the long arm of the lever is normally rocked in a direction away from the shaft 7. This lever is provided with a lug 26 which is adapted to" be engaged by a catch lever 27 pivoted at 27 011 the frame and normally thrown into position to engage stop 26 by means of a spring 27". The lever 27 is pivotally connected by means of a link 15 to the control lever 15 of the automatic feeder; the construction being such that if lever 26 be shifted by the rocking of the shaft 7 so as to disengage lug 26 from the catch lever 27 the automatic feeder will be thrown out of efiective operation by the spring 27*, through link 15, throwing the control lever 15 into position to stop the forwarding of the sheets.

swag

In the construction shown when the shaft 7 returns to normal position the feed of sheets may be restarted by the operator de pressing handle 27 .on lever 27, so as to cause the tooth of lever 27 to engage with the lug 26 of lever 26 as shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the presentation of an improperly positioned or defective sheet the shaft 7 is rocked as above explained; thereupon the sheet will be seized by the clamps (as indicated in Fig. 9) and at the same time the automatic sheet feeder will be put out of eflective operation. When the shaft 7 is returned to normal position the parts will automatically perform their normal functions, but the automatic sheet feeder will remain ineffective, as indicated in Fig. 2,

until the lever 27 is returned to normal position by manually depressing its handle 27 so as to permit lever 27 to again engage the lug 26, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The'parts are shown in normal position in Fig. 1 at which time the lever 12 is upheld by engagement with arm 11, and lever 13 is free to vibrate, but its movements are controlled by engagement of the arm 13 A with cam 5 Then the press is'first put in operation there is no sheet lying on the tapes of the feeding machine; therefore to have a sheet fed to the drop guides the operator should hold handle 27 depressed (see Fig. 1 which in turn holds lever 15 in such a position that the sheet feeder becomes effectively operative and a sheet is fed down to the drop guides 4. The operator may then re lease lever 27 which will then be held in engagement with lug 26.

At each cycle of operation of the parts the detectors 6 feel for a sheet, and if the sheet is perfect and is properly positioned against the drop guides at, the detectors 6 slide idly on the sheet over the slots in fingers 2 and the shaft 7 is not rocked, and therefore the press is not tripped and the feeder remains in action.

If the sheet, fed to the drop guides, is

defective, or if perfect is delayed or misplaced so that its front edge is not properly positioned against the drop guides 4; then 'when arm 8 starts its forward movement and allows the detectors 6 to drop, they will drop below the plane of the sheet and pin 8 will engage notches 6", (see Fig. 2) and pull the detectors 6 forward and rock shaft 7, thereby causin the press to trip, and the feed of sheets to be stopped and the clamps to engage and hold such sheet as hereinbefore explained.

' If perfect sheets are properly fed against the gages 4 the detectors 6 will not drop so as to effectively engage notches 6 with lug 8 and shaft 7 will not be rocked, consequently lever 12 will remain raised, and be held raised by the arm 11 while the dwell 5 in cam 5 is passing arm 12, and lever 13 not being engaged by catch 14 will be vibrated by the action of spring 13 and cam 5 once for each rotation of the cam or reel 1.

At the proper time in the revolution of reel 1 cam 5 engages roller 4" on arm 4 and lifts the gages 4 out of the path of the perfect sheet which is to be taken by the grippers on the reel 1 and transferred therefrom at the proper time to the grippers on the impression cylinder I; and the impression remains on and the feed of sheets continues in regular sequence.

If however an imperfect or misplaced sheet is found by the detectors 6, the shaft 7 is rocked by the positive cam-actuated movement of the detectors 6, as above described, thereby stopping the feed and simultaneously, (through arm 7 e and link 10) disengaging arm 11 from lever 12, (as in Fig. 2) and through lever 10 rocking shaft 11 so as to move arm 14 into position to engage pin 13 and lock lever 13 so that it cannot be shifted by the spring 13 when arm 13 comes opposite the low portion of the cam 5 Under normal working conditions the clamp 17 is normally held raised as inclicated in Figs. 1 and 8 by the catch 18 engaging and holding the free end of the arm 17 and the latch 19 remains in engagement with the pin 4 on arm 4 If however, no sheet is fed or the detectors 6 find a defective or misplaced sheet so that shaft 7 is rocked by lever 8 engaging notch 6 in detectors 6 the link arm 7 i on shaft 7 through link 18 rocks catch 18 so as to disengage it from the arm 17 and also through link 19 causes latch 19 to disengage pin 4 and allow the sheet clamp 17 to drop (see Figs. 2 and 10) and clamp the sheet against the member 17 preventing the further forward movement of the sheet until the clamps are raised.

When lever 13 is held down as described the tumbler pins 20 and 30 are prevented from moving into the path of tumbler 1 by lever 23 which does not move when arm 13 is engaged by latch 14.

When lever 12 drops, by arm 12 entering the low portion 5 of cam 5 it raises arm 15, which through rod 15 and its connections shifts dog 16 so that it engages rocking lever 16 and thereby causes the latter to actuate lever 16 and through cylinder 1 thrown 0E impression as above described, see Fig. 4; cam 5 will lift lever 12- at each revolution. Normally the impression is thrown on during each cycle of operations in time to print a properly presented sheet, but unless the parts have been restored to normal position, and sheets are properly taken by the transfer reel, the impression will be again thrown off at the proper time during each revolution of the impression cylinder to prevent printing on the impression surface thereof, until lever 12 is again upheld by the engagement of arm 11 with pin 12 which will not occur until a sheet is properly positioned.

Immediately after the detectors 6 are pulled forward, they start to return to normal position, allowing shaft 7 to reset to its normal position, which, if maintained, will allow the press to automatically resume printing.

As long as perfect sheets are properly fed to the drop guides the feeder and press-will remain in efl'ective operation, as shaft 7 will not rock. To enable shaft 7 to remain in its normal position, the sheets must be properly fed to the guides 4 and if a sheet is defective, or is delayed or misplaced for.

some reason, the detectors will again cause the rocking of shaft 7, and render the press and feeder ineffective as described above.

After the press and feeder .have been tripped, as above described, (the parts being then in the position indicated in Fig. 2) if a perfect sheet should. be fed and properly positioned against the gages 4, the detectors will, during the next cycle of operations, find such sheet and just before the time that it should be taken, cam 5 engages arm 13 and puts such compression on spring 13 as will relieve pressure of pin 13 on latch 14; and also the cam 5 will at the same time raise lever 12 so that there is practically nothing to prevent the rocking of shaft 11 simultaneously the shaft 7 will be returned to normal position under the action of spring 26", arm 14 will be disengaged from pin 13 by the action of spring 14 and arm 11 will be thrown into position to engage pin 12; so that the parts will resume their normal positions as shown in Fig. 1; and at the proper time such perfect sheet will be taken by the reel grippers and printed.

Lever 4 is vibrated each time shaft 4 is rocked, and when the parts are returned to normal position, as in Fig. 1, on the downward movement of lever 4, lever 4 rises and as shaft 7 is then returned to normal position, catch 19 is 'yieldingly held against pin 4; and as arm 4 rises pin'4 engages catch 19 and raises it thereby lifting arm 17 and rocking shaft 16 and raising clamp 17 (as indicated in Fig. 8) and when catch 19 is fully raised, catch 18 under the action of spring 18 engages with and upholds latch 17 and the clamp will remain upheld by catch 18 until the detectors 6- again find a misplaced or defective sheet and shaft 7 is rocked as above explained, whereupon catch 18 will be caused to disengage arm 17?, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 10, and the clamp will drop upon and hold such defective or misplaced sheet as above described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if an imperfect sheet is presented the detector fingers will find it and will through the described connections automatically stop the feed of sheets; also permit the clamps to seize and hold such sheet and prevent its further forward movement; also render the reel grippers ineffective to take such sheet from the table; also trip the throw-off mechanism and throw off the impression during the time that such sheet should have been printed so that the related impression 'surface will not be printed; and such conditions will be maintained until the imperfect sheet is removed from the table or the perfect sheet properly positioned thereon. After such sheet has been removed the operator by depressing handle 27 can start the feed of sheets by depressing lever 27 as above described; and so long as perfect sheets are properly fed the press will automatically perform its cycle of operations.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In combination sheet printing mechanism, means for feeding sheets to said printing mechanism; sheet gages, and sheet clamping devices; with co-acting means whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet the feed of sheets is suspended, said clamping devices are permitted to engage and hold the sheet, the taking of such sheet by the printing mechanism is prevented, and the impression is thrown off during the time such sheet should have been printed.

2. In combination mechanism for operating upon sheets including a member having grippers; means for directing sheets thereto, sheet clamping devices, and co-acting means whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet such clamping de vices are permitted to engage and hold the sheet and the grippers on said member are rendered ineffective to take such sheet.

3. In combination mechanism for operating on sheets having sheet taking devices, means for directing sheets to said mechanism, means for detecting misplaced or defective sheets, sheet clamping devices, and co-acting means controlled by the detecting mechanism whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet the clamping devices are permitted to engage and hold the sheet and the sheet taking devices are rendered ineffective.

4:. In combination sheet printing mechanism having sheet taking devices, means for directing sheets to the printing mechanism, means for detecting misplaced or defective sheets, sheet clamping devices, and co-acting means whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet the clamping devices are permitted to engage and hold such sheet, the sheet taking devices are rendered ineffective, and the impression is thrown ofi.

5. In combination sheet printing mechanism including a gripper cylinder; means for directing sheets to the printing mechanism, means for detecting misplaced or defective sheets, sheet clamping devices; and co-acting means controlled by the detecting mechanism whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet such clamping devices are permitted to engage and hold the sheet, the cylinder grippers are rendered ineffective the impression is thrown off, and the feed of the sheets is suspended.

6. In combination sheet printing mechanism, a member having grippers for transferring sheets to said mechanism, means for directing sheets to the grippers of the transfer member, and means for detecting misplaced or defective sheets; with sheet clamping devices, and co-acting means whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet such clamping devices are permitted to engage and hold suchsheet and the grippers of said transfer member are rendered ineffective.

I 7 In combination sheet printing mechanism, a transfer cylinder having sheet taking devices, means for directing sheets to the transfer cylinder, means for detecting misplaced or defective sheets, and sheet clamping devices; with co-acting means controlled by the detecting mechanism whereby upon the presentation of a misplaced or defective sheet the clamping devices engage and hold such sheet,'the sheet taking devices on the cylinder are rendered ineffective, the impression is thrown off, and the feed of the sheets is suspended.

8. In sheet printing mechanism, the combination of a cylinder provided with sheet grippers, gages for arresting sheets in position to be taken by the cylinder grippers; means for rendering the cylinder grippers ineffective, and a sheet clamp; with devices adapted to detect misplaced or defective sheets, and means whereby, when the detectors find a defective or misplaced sheet the clamp is permitted to engage and hold the sheet and the grippers are rendered ineffective.

9. In sheet printing mechanism, the combination of a cylinder provided with sheet grippers; gages for arresting sheets in position to be taken by the cylinder grippers; means for rendering the cylinder grippers ineffective, and a sheet clamp; with devices adapted to detect misplaced or defective sheets; and means controlled by said devices whereby when a defective or misplaced sheet is detected the sheet clamp is permitted to engage and hold the sheet, the cylinder grippers are rendered ineffective, and the impression is thrown off during the time such sheet should have been printed.

10. In sheet printing mechanism, the combination of an impression cylinder and a printing member coacting therewith; a

transfer cylinder provided with sheet grippers; means for feeding sheets to the transfer cylinder; means for throwing on and off impression; means for rendering the transfer cylinder grippers ineffective, and sheet clamping devices; with devices adapted to detect a misplaced or defective sheet fed to the cylinder; means controlled by said detector devices; and connections between said detector controlled means, the sheet feeding devices, the sheet clamping devices, the throw off devices, and the gripper controlling devices; whereby, if a defective or misplaced sheet is fed, the feed of sheets is suspended, the sheet is clamped, the impression is thrown off, and the transfer cylinder grippers are rendered ineffective.

11. In sheet printing mechanism, the combination of an impression cylinder, a printing member co-acting therewith; a transfer cylinder provided with grippers; sheet gages for arresting sheets in position to be taken by the transfer cylinder grippers; automatic means for feeding the sheets to the transfer cylinder; means for throwing on and off impression; means for rendering the transfer cylinder grippers ineffective; and sheet clamping devices; with devices adapted to detect a misplaced or defective sheet; means controlled by said detector devices; and connections between said detector controlled means, the sheet feeding devices, the clamping devices, the throw olf devices, and the gripper controlling devices; whereby, if a defective or misplaced sheet is fed, the sheet feeding devices are held in ineffective position; the clamping devices engage the sheet; the transfer cylinder grippers are rendered ineffective, and the impression is thrown off during the time that such sheet should have been printed.

12-. In combination means for operating =upon sheets; sheet feeding devices; means for directing sheets from the feeding devices to the operating means; with sheet clamping devices comprising clamp members arranged above and beneath the path of'the sheet, a rock shaft carrying one clamp member, an arm connected with said rock. shaft, an oscillating catch adapted to engage the arm and hold the clamp member in ineffective position, a latch pivoted on said arm, a loose connection between the latch and the catch. and a spring for moving the catch in a direction away from the arm; with sheet detecting devices, and means whereby if an imperfect or misplaced sheet is fed the catch is released and the clamp permitted to engage the sheet.

13. In combination means for operating upon sheets; sheet feeding devices; and sheet clamping devices comprising members arranged above and beneath the path of the sheet, a rock shaft carrying one clamp member, an arm connected with said rock shaft, a catch adapted to engage the arm and hold the clamp in ineffective position; with sheet detecting devices and means whereby if an imperfect or misplaced sheet is fed the catch is disengaged and the clamp permitted to engage the sheet; with devices adapted to detect imperfect or misplaced sheets; means controlled by said detecting devices for disengaging the catch when an imperfect or misplaced sheet is detected to permit the clamp to engage and hold such sheet; and means for thereafter automatically resetting the clamp.

14. In combination means for operating upon sheets; and means for directing-sheets to the operating means; sheet clamping devices comprising clamp members arranged beneath the path of the sheet, a clamp member arranged above the path of the sheet, a rock shaft carrying the upper clamp members, an arm connected with said rock shaft, an oscillating catch adapted to engage the arm and hold the clamp in raised position, a latch pivoted on said arm, a loose connection between the latch and the catch, a spring for moving the catch in a direction away from. the arm; with devices adapted to detect imperfect or misplaced sheets; means controlled by said detecting devices for disengaging the catch When an imperfect or misplaced sheet is detected to permit the clamp to engage and hold such sheet; and means for thereafter automatically resetting the clamp.

15. In combination means for operating upon sheets; sheet feeding devices, and means for directing sheets from the feeding devices to the operating means; sheet clamping devices interposed between the feeding and operating devices comprising clamp members arranged beneath the path of the sheet, clamp members arranged above the path of the sheet, a rock shaft carrying the upper clamp members, an arm connected with said rock shaft, an oscillating catch adapted to engage the arm and hold the clamp in raised position, a latch pivoted on said arm, a. loose connection between the latch and the catch, a spring for moving the BURT F. UPHAM. 

